The Power of Love!
by Shedellepe
Summary: This story is about Orihime's and Ichigo's love for each other. About how love conquers all, even death!


_**Hey guys this is my first story. So please go easy on me with the comments, but be honest nonetheless. This story takes place after Orihime and Ichigo come back from Hueco Mundo. Enjoy!!**_

The day started of as usual for Orihime. Everything was basically normal besides for the fact that no one seemed to be around. Tatsuki was off on a karate tournament, Chad and Ishida where both visting relatives and Rukia was back in the Soul Society with Renji and the others. Besides for Orihime, Ichigo was the only one from the group still in Karakura Town.

Orihime was making her way home from the grocery when suddenly... she felt his spiritual pressure.

Ichigo was fighting. She could tell he was in danger. She dropped everything and ran towards the place in which she sensed him.

As she got closer to where she believed he was she had a feeling that something bad was going to happen so she summoned her fairies.

She told them, "You are controlled by my heart, my emotions and feelings. So no matter what happens to me, please protect Ichigo at all cost."

She arrived at an old warehouse and made her way inside.

Ichigo was fighting two arrancars. He seemed to be seriously injured. Orihime thought about what she could do. She had no idea, but she knew she couldn't let Ichigo die.

One of the arrancars spotted Orihime and engaged in a fight with her. She put up a force field to defend herself.

When Ichigo saw this he immediately went after the arrancar attacking Orihime.

As Ichigo was coming to Orihime's aid the arrancar he was fighting with was about to stab him in his back.

"Kurosaki-kun...WATCH OUT!" Orihime shouted.

And as she shouted she sent her force field to protect him. Her force field was like no other, it completely covered him.

But in protecting Ichigo she left herself open and Orihime was stabbed in her heart.

Ichigo shouted out, "NO... Inoue!"

"You bastard!" Ichigo said, his anger raging.

He was now engaging in battle once again, seeming stronger than before because of what had happened to Orihime.

But the fight was stopped when the arrancars were suddenly called away by an espada.

With the arrancars gone, Ichigo approached Orihime.

Orihime watched up at him and said, "I'm glad your alright, Kurosaki-kun. As she said that she passed out.

Ichigo said with a sad look on his face, "Inoue don't die on me. Please don't die on me!"

Ichigo noticed that even though Orihime was out cold, her fairies where still with him.

So he told them to heal her, but they said they couldn't do it just like that, as they are controlled by Orihime's heart.

Shun'ō (one of Orihime's fairies who heals) told Ichigo, "We have to get out of here!"

So Ichigo took Orihime in his hands and went to his house. He climbed through his window and placed her on his bed. His hands covered in her blood Ichigo sat at Orihime's side, not knowing what to do.

Shun'ō said, "We've never healed Orihime before because she's never ordered us to. However, maybe there is one way to save her."

Ichigo's eyes opened wide, "Tell me! I'll do anything!" he said.

Shun'ō said, "You have to listen to everything I have to say."

Ichigo nodded his head in approval.

She said, "Orihime has had a very hard and sad life. Her mother was a adulterous woman and her father was a druken and they both beat their kids non-stop. So when Orihime's brother turned 18 he ran away with Orihime, she was only 3. Orihime lost her brother some years later, so now she is all alone. Even though Orihime may look happy all the time, she is really hurting inside."

Ichigo looked shocked and saddened by this story of Orihime's life, even though he knew her brother had died, he had no either that she went through all of that with her parents.

Shun'ō continued, "Ichigo, do you know that Orihime can feel your spiritual pressure no matter where you are? She can always sense where you are, that is how she found you today. She is always worrying about you and hoping you are alright. She beats herself up about the fact that she feels like she can never do anything to help you. That is why before we reached the warehouse she told us to protect you no matter what."

Ichigo couldn't believe it. He said, "Inoue..." in a soft voice.

"Before Orihime was taken to Hueco Mundo she was given a bracelet that would allow her to become almost like a ghost and she was told that she could only say goodbye to one person, and she chose to say goodbye to you, Ichigo. She came into your room and told you how she felt about you, she was about to kiss you but couldn't because she didn't know if you felt the same way. She said that she wish she had 5 lives so she could accomplish different things and do different things but she would still want to fall in love with the same person."

Shun'ō said giving him all the details. Ichigo was speechless he couldn't believe that Orihime would chose to tell him goodbye. Shun'ō said, "Orihime only went to Hueco Mundo in order to protect you and the others. She chose to say goodbye to you because she loves you more than anyone else in this world! Do you understand what I am saying?" her voice seemed to raise as she tried to make Ichigo understand just how important he is to Orihime.

Ichigo took Orihime's hand, "Why Inoue?" he said softly. "Why did you protect me? I am the one who promised to protect you."

Shun'ō said, "Ichigo, the reason I told you this is because I needed you to see how much Orihime cares for you, how much she loves you. I need you to care for her in that way. I need you to want to save her more than anything else in this world. I need you to love her! That is the only way you may be able to save her. You have to try and tap into her powers. Her powers are controlled by her heart so your heart must be filled with love for her. The stronger your love for her the better chance there is to save her. You may have noticed that Orihime's shield was different when she sent it to protect you. That is because she wanted to save you more than anything else. At that point in time her heart was completely filled with love for you."

Ichigo put his hand on Orihime's heart and placed hers on top of his, as he was ordered to do so by Ayame (the other fairy with the ability to heal).

He closed his eyes and focused his mind and heart on saving Orihime.

He thought to himself, please don't die Orihime. I love you! As he was thinking that tears ran from his eyes.

To his suprise the fairies started healing Orihime. Before he knew it her wound was healed and she slowly opened her eyes.

"Kurosaki-kun..." she said softly.

"Inoue..." he said, as he touched her face.

She was a bit shocked in the way he was acting and she couldn't understand why he was crying.

After she was fully healed, her fairies returned to her and she knew everything they had told him.

Her face turned red from embarassment.

She tried to get up quickly but she was still weak and so she fell, but Ichigo was there to catch her. Her face turned even more red.

He said, "Inoue, you have to take it easy."

She said, "Kurosaki-kun, thanks for saving me."

"I should be the one thanking you, Inoue." Ichigo said.

Orihime's eyes brightened and a smile came across her face.

Ichigo smiled back and said, "Inoue... maybe you should stay here tonight."

She looked shocked and thought to herself, will it really be ok for me to stay here?

Ichigo said, "It's not a problem for you to stay here (almost as if he was reading her mind), I just have to let my dad know."

He got up and headed to the door. As he opened it, his father was behind the door.

He said, "Why am I not surprised?"

His father said, "Oh my! My son has sneaked a girl into his room! Oh Masaki, she must be our new daughter in law!"

Ichigo hit his father over the head and then went on to explain the situation to his dad.

His dad agreed that it would be wise for Orihime to spend the night.

So Ichigo took Orihime home to collect some stuff and then they went back to his house.

He told her to wait in his room and he went to prepare the guest room for her.

When he came back he found her sleeping on his bed. He decided not to wake her. He just sat on a chair and watched her while she sleeped.

He started talking softly, "Inoue, I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you. I'm sorry for being so blind. How could I not see how much you were suffering? I promise to always be there for you from now on!"

He kissed her on her forehead and then left the room.

The next day was school for Ichigo and Orihime. Ichigo wasn't going to bother with school but to his suprise when he woke up he found Orihime was already dressed for school.

He said, "Inoue, are you sure your well enough to go to school?"

She said cheerfully, "I'm fine! We should hurry if we don't want to be late!"

So Ichigo dressed and they headed for school.

Ichigo, wanting Orihime to take it easy, took her school bag from her. She said that she was fine but he still insisted on taking it.

As they entered the classroom, Ichigo was greeted by Keigo as usual. Tatsuki and the others still weren't back yet.

As the day progressed Keigo grew suspicious of Ichigo and Orihime. He told Mizuiro that he believed they were seeing each other.

So after school, he followed them and realised that Orihime was staying at Ichigo's house. He was completely shocked that Ichigo was able to get a girl like Orihime.

He had decided he would confront him tomorrow but had no idea that he would not get the chance.

The reason he would be unable to confront him was because, tomorrow was the death anniversary of Ichigo's mother. And Ichigo never went to school on that day, instead his whole family would go to visit her grave.

So, that night Ichigo asked Orihime if she would come with him and of course she agreed.

She was just so grateful that he would be willing to share this part of his life with her.

The next morning Ichigo and Orihime along with his father and sisters went to his mother's grave.

Orihime's brother was also buried at that cemetery so she decided to visit his grave as well.

While Ichigo's father and sisters were at his mother's grave, he decided he would go with Orihime to her brother's grave first.

So she knelt before her brother's grave and talked to him.

When she was finished they got up and headed to Ichigo's mother's grave, but while Ichigo was passing by Orihime's brother's grave he said, "I promise I will protect your sister always!"

When they reached Ichigo's mother's grave Orihime gave Ichigo some space to talk to his mom in private.

When Ichigo was finished he started walking off believing that Orihime was behind him, but to his suprise she knelt before his mother's grave and started talking to her.

She said, "Mrs. Kurosaki, you should be very proud, Ichigo has grown up to be quite a wonderful young man. He is couragous and really cares for his friends and family. He would give his life to protect them. And I promise that I will always be there for him."

Orihime didn't know Ichigo heard everything she was saying.

Eventually they both left the cemetery.

On their way back to Ichigo's house they passed by some jewellery stores.

Ichigo saw this really nice heart locket and chain that he thought Orihime would like.

Knowing that her birthday was a few weeks ago, he bought it for her without her knowing.

Orihime saw the same chain and bought it for Ichigo without his knowing.

They both had pictures of theirselves and the other person put in either side of the heart locket.

That night they went to Orihime's favourite spot (the spot she use to go to with her brother).

There Ichigo presented Orihime with the necklace, she was speechless!

She did the same. Ichigo thought to himself, this is a girl's necklace, but he accepted it all the same.

He told her, "Orihime...I know what you've been through and I will always be there for you!"

She smiled and teardrops started running down her face.

She said, "Ichigo...I'll always be there for you too!" He wiped the tears from her eyes and gently kissed her on her lips.

_**Ok, that's the end! I hoped you liked it. I did it while working so I kinda rushed it through. If you really liked it, I will try to make more!!**_


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